The Norwich City Council on Monday is expected to join legislative leaders from the region in endorsing an expansion of the New England Central Rail Line from the UConn campus to New London.

Last week, City Manager Alan Bergren joined chief elected officials from several area communities for a planning meeting at Mansfield Town Hall.

While there, they were briefed about a Massachusetts initiative to fund and study passenger rail service that would run north, from Palmer to Amherst, and south, from Palmer to UConn.

Massachusetts leaders hope to partner with Connecticut to complete a rail study designed ultimately to bring passenger service all the way to New London.

State Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, has led the region’s legislative delegation in pushing state Department of Transportation Commissioner James Redeker to join his Bay State counterparts in seeing the study through.

“This project has great potential for future tourism and manufacturing in the eastern portion of our state and offers greater accessibility to the people of Connecticut and the entire region,” lawmakers wrote in a letter to Redeker. “We urge you to consider the myriad positive outcomes that will come as a result of the extension of this passenger rail line.”

Also Monday, aldermen are slated to set an Aug. 19 public hearing to talk about the future of a 59 School St. house that once belonged to James L. Smith, an escaped slave who settled in Norwich at that location. Officials acquired the property through a recent foreclosure and are considering ways to preserve it.

And residents on Monday will have a chance to weigh in on a planned $5 million road improvement bond slated to appear on the November ballot.

Public Works Director Barry Ellison is expected to provide details about how the money will be spent at a council meeting later this month.